after they met her

fourtysix

i v a n a

I woke up to pain—sharp, burning pain that radiated through every part of my body.

My throat felt like it had been scorched, and when I tried to open my eyes, all I could see was darkness. I wasn't sure if it was because the room was pitch black or because something was covering my eyes.

I tried to move, but my body was stiff, aching in ways that made me gasp.

Where are my brothers?

Why aren't they here? They're always here.

Gray, Logan, Asher, Matthew... someone should've come by now. What happened?

My heart pounded as I replayed those final moments, searching for answers, but all I felt was fear. I was alone. Terrified. And I didn't understand why. What did I do wrong?

Instinctively, I attempted to sit up, but I could only manage to roll onto my side. That's when I noticed my hands were bound behind my back.

I pulled at them, but all I heard was a loud clinking sound and felt the cold bite of metal against my wrists.

I'm chained.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. My breathing quickened, panic surging through me as I struggled against the restraints. The chains rattled with each frantic movement, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get my hands free.

Why won't they come apart?

My thoughts spiraled, a whirlwind of fear and confusion. I opened my mouth to call out for my family, but all that came out was a rasping croak, barely more than a whisper.

"Calm down," a man's voice spoke out from across the room. It was steady, almost indifferent, as if he was used to seeing people in this state. I tried to focus on his voice, to ask him where I was or what had happened, but the words wouldn't form.

My throat was too dry, too raw.

"Gather your strength," he continued, his tone still flat. "They'll let you loose soon enough—not that it matters in any way."

Silence followed his words.

Agonizing silence.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, the sound of it echoing in my ears. The pain from the poison I'd been given still lingered, a dull throb in my stomach, a burning sensation in my throat. My limbs felt weak, almost useless, as if the life had been drained out of them.

What happened?

Where am I?

The questions raced through my mind, but there were no answers, just the suffocating darkness and the distant memory of my father's terrified scream.

Someone took me.

My thoughts raced back to the chaos, the panic, and the horror of the moment when everything fell apart.

My brothers. Were they safe? I could still see Gray's face, twisted in rage as he tried to hold everything together. He always took the weight of the world on his shoulders, and I knew he'd blame himself for this.

He'd never forgive himself for letting me be taken. But it wasn't his fault.

None of them could've known. They had been so careful.

How could they have known it would happen like that?

Logan. God, Logan.

The image of him kneeling on the floor, staring at the blood—my blood—haunted me. His face drained of color, his eyes wide in disbelief. I could still feel the warmth of his hand on mine, the way he clung to me before everything went dark.